Oarlock



Oct. 8 1968 c. .0. GOSERUD OARIJOCK Filed Dec. l2, 1966 FIG. 4

ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,404,414 DARLOCK Chester 0. Goserud, 3205 Woodbridge St.,

St. Paul, Minn. 55112 Filed Dec. 12, 1966, Ser. No. 601,053 1 Claim. (Cl. 9-26) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An oarlock for use with the oars `of a row boat having a clamp formed with jaws adapted to engage the shaft of the oar at various localities along the same or at different angular positions with reference to the blade of the oar. Pivot means connected to the jaws guide the clamp for swinging movement about both substantially vertical and horizontal axes. A single screw engaging the jaws of the clamp and cooperating with the pivot means clamps the oarlock in position upon the oar.

Summary of the invention The invention comprises a clamp having spaced jaws with upwardly projecting arms and downwardly projecting legs. A screw extends through the upwardly projecting legs and serves to draw the jaws together. A yoke is pivoted to a mounting secured to the boat. Pivot means extend through said yoke and legs. Abutment means associated with said pivot means restrains outward movement of said legs and restraining means on said pivot means restrains inward movement of said legs.

Prior art The oarlock shown in rny former Patent No. 2,657,401 has certain disadvantages. In order to assemble the parts the upsets 59 shown in FIGURES 2 and 5 and the nut and lock nut shown in FIGURE 6 had to be properly positioned in order to make the jaws properly engage the shaft of the oar. This all had to be done during assembly. In the instant invention a single bolt is utilized and the nut thereof tightened up as far as it will go. In the invention herein disclosed the parts may be disassembled to permit of substituting new parts for worn out parts and then quickly reassembled. In the old structure three sleeves were required or specially designed nuts had to be employed together with an additional lock nut in one form of the invention. The instant invention in one form requires but one sleeve and in another form, no sleeve whatsoever.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view looking transversely of the boat at the gunwale thereof and illustrating an embodiment of the invention applied thereto.

FIGURE 2 is an elevational sectional view of the structure shown in FIGURE l with the oar arranged at an angle and taken on line 22 of FIGURE l.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the oarlock detached from the boat and taken on line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the oarlock with parts arranged for the reception of an oar.

FIGURE 5 is a View similar to FIGURE 3 showing a modification of the invention.

For the purpose of illustrating the application of the invention a portion of a row boat has been shown which includes a gunwale 11, the planking of the boat being designated by the reference numeral 12. The gunwale 11 comprises a clamp 13 and a rub rail 14. In addition a portion of the shaft 15 of an oar 16 has been shown. Since the 'construction of the boat and the oar form no particular feature of the invention, the same have not been shown completely but only as much thereof as relates to the invention.

For attaching the oarlock to the boat a mounting 20 is employed which is attached to the gunwale 11 and which pivotally supports the oarlock for pivotal movement about a substantially vertical axis. The mounting 20 comprises a plate like base 21 overlying the upper surface of the clamp 13 and rub rail 14 and which is secured to said clamp and rub rail by means of screws 22. Issuing downwardly from the base 21 is a tubular socket 23 which has a bore 24 therein extending completely through said socket and through the base 21. This socket is disposed in the space between said rub rail and clamp and the clamp is notched somewhat to receive said socket.

Mounted on the mounting 20 is a support 30. This support consists of a yoke 31 constructed of heavy sheet metal and bent to form a base 33 with flanges 34 and 32 extending upwardly therefrom. A stud 35 adapted to be received in the bore 24 of mounting 20 is formed at its upper end with a reduced portion 36 which fits into a hole 37 in the base 33 of yoke 31. The upper end of 38 of the yreduced portion 36 of stud 35 is riveted over to securely attach the stud to the yoke as best shown in FIGURE 3. By means of this construction the stud is securely `attached to yoke 31. The stud 35 extends through the socket 23 and rests upon a collar 39 integral with and extending upwardly from the base 21 and coaxially positoned with reference to the socket 23. This collar reduces friction between the support 30 and mounting.

Attached to the support 30 is an attachment 40. This attachment includes a clamp 41 comprising spaced jaws 42 and 43 which are constructed from heavy sheet metal bent as shown. The jaws 42 and 43 are arcuate in form and are adapted to tit over the shaft of the oar with which it is to be used. Issuing upwardly from the jaws 42 and 43 are arms 44 and 45 which have aligning holes 46 and 47 and through which a clamp bolt 48 extends. These holes are preferably square to fit a square shouldered portion 51 adjacent the head 52 of the bolt. Depending from the jaws 42 and 43 lare outwardly bent connecting portions 54 and 55 which terminate in depending legs 56 and 57. These legs due to the connecting portions 54 and 55 are offset with respect to the jaws 42 and 43 and are arranged to straddle the flanges 32 and 33 of the yoke 31 leaving spaces 61 and 62 between said legs and flanges. Formed in the legs 56 and 57 `and in the llanges 32 and 33 are registering holes 63, 64 and 65, 66. Extending through these holes is a rivet 67 which has a shank 68 serving as an arbor, and a head 69 lat one end adapted to bear against the leg 56 and serving as abutment means. At its other end the shank 67 has a reduced portion 71. This reduced portion receives a washer 72. The end 73 of the reduced portion 71 and said washer Serves as abutment means for restraining the legs from movment away from one another.

In attaching the oarlock to the shaft of the oar the bolt 48 is completely removed, leaving the legs 56 and 57 and the jaws 42 and 43 free to rotate on the rivet 67. In addition the arms 44 and 45 are adapted to spread apart to the width of the spaces 61 and 62 between leg 56 and iiange 32 and between ange 33 and leg 57. The parts are then arranged as shown in FIGURE 4. The oar 16 is next laid obliquely across said jaws as shown in dotted lines in FIG- URE 4 and the jaws swung back into normal position as shown in FIGURE l enveloping the shaft 15 of the oar. Upon inserting the bolt `48 through the holes 46 and 47 in arms 44 and 45 and causing the shouldered portion 51 of said bolt to enter the hole 46 the nut 49 of the bolt is applied thereto and tightened up. Upon tightening the nut 49 legs 56 and 57 are forced outwardly against the head 68 of the bolt and against the washer 72 thus clamping the attachment to the oar.

The use of the device is obvious. The oarlocks are attached as explained. If angularity of the blade or the distance apart of the handles of the oar are not proper the nuts 49 can be loosened and proper adjustment made.

In FIGURE a modication of the invention has been shown. Due to the similarity of some of the parts the description thereof will not be repeated and the same reference numerals used to identify such parts. In this form of the invention a bolt 81 having a head 82, a threaded shank 83 and a nut 84 screwed thereon is employed instead of a rivet 67 shown in FIGURE 3. A sleeve 85 is received in the holes 63, 64, 65 and 66 and the bolt 81 passes through the bore 86 of said sleeve. When the nut 84 is tightened down against the one end of the sleeve 85 the other end of said sleeve is urged against head 82. The ends of the sleeve serve as restraining means for restraining movement of the nut and head of the bolt toward one another. In this manner the required spacing of the arms 56 and 57 to permit of applying the oar t0 the device as shown in FIGURE 4 is provided. Upon loosening the nut 84 the parts can be taken apart and worn parts replaced.

If desired the threaded shank of the bolt 81 can be reduced in size like the reduced portion 71 of rivet 67 and washer 72 extend up to and engage the shoulder formed between the shank and reduced portion as shown in FIG- URE 3. In such case no sleeve 85 would be required.

The advantages of the invention are manifest. Less parts are required than with applicants previous patented invention. The parts can be all made to predetermined dimensions and specifications and assembled without accurate arrangement or disposition. With the present invention only one sleeve or none at all are required. Assembly of the parts is quicker and more easily accomplished requiring no jigs and/or a punch press. Larger bearings are also inherent with the oarlock and all the bearings are of the same diameter.

Changes in the specific form of the invention, as herein described, may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is:

1. An oarlock for attachment to the shaft of an oar COmpIlSlHgI (a) a mounting,

(b) a support pivoted to said mounting and having:

(C) upwardly extending flanges,

(d) an attachment having:

(e) spaced jaws movable toward and from one another and engageable with the shaft of an oar,

(f) arms extending upwardly from said jaws,

(g) means for drawing said arms together to clamp the jaws against the shaft of the oar;

(h) legs depending from said jaws and straddling the anges on said support;

(i) said flanges having coaxial holes therein,

(j) said legs having holes therein coaxial with respect to the holes in said anges and (k) of substantially of the same diameter as the diameter of the holes in said flanges,

(l) a single sleeve of uniform outer diameter and of uniform bore,

(m) said sleeve extending simultaneously throughout all of said holes in said legs and flanges and,

(n) a bolt having a shank threaded at one end and extending through said sleeve,

(o) a head at the other end and (p) a nut screwed on said threaded end,

(q) said nut being of sufcient lateral dimensions to overlay the marginal portion of the leg adjoining the same about the hole in the same to limit the outward movement of the leg in clamping the jaws to the shaft of the Oar,

(r) said head being of sufficient lateral dimensions to overlie the marginal portion of the other leg about the hole in the same to limit the outward movement of said leg in clamping the jaws to the shaft of the oar.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/1938 Sparling 85-37 X 8/1950 Agner 9-26 1l/l953 Goserud 9-26 I. E. PITTENGER, Assistant Examiner, 

